Harrison Armstrong name-checked in Everton transfer report - Preston blow still looms | OneFootball

The Merseyside club could still recall the 18-year-old from his temporary spell at Deepdale

Everton's Harrison Armstrong could still be recalled from his loan spell at Preston North End in January.

The teenage midfielder has become a standout performer in the Championship this season and seemingly remains on the radar of the Merseyside club's manager, David Moyes, as he grapples with injury concerns heading into the New Year.

While North End manager Paul Heckingbottom remains hopeful that the 18-year-old will see out the remainder of his season-long loan at Deepdale, the reality is that Everton continue to hold all the cards.

Everton's case for recalling Harrison Armstrong from Preston North End

According to the i Paper's Mark Douglas, Everton are bracing for an active January window - with the prospect of bringing in two or three new arrivals.

However, the Football Correspondent also noted that the club have an option they can exercise immediately, which is recalling Harrison Armstrong from his loan at Preston.

Douglas wrote: "The smart money is on 'two or three' new arrivals in January. They also have the option to recall Harrison Armstrong from his loan at Preston, which has been a resounding success so far."

Although Douglas didn't specify, it's easy to see why Everton need midfield reinforcements. The Toffees saw Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall suffer a hamstring injury in their defeat to Chelsea, while the club’s most experienced central midfielder, Idrissa Gueye, is competing at the AFCON with Senegal.

Any potential recall is not without reason though. Disregarding Monday night’s Championship fixtures, Armstrong has made 16 league appearances for Preston this season, starting in 12 of those matches and scoring once.

What makes a January recall more than mere speculation is confirmation that Moyes and Paul Heckingbottom have already been in direct contact regarding Armstrong's future.

Paul Heckingbottom holding direct talks with David Moyes regarding Harrison Armstrong's Preston North End future

Speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire on Christmas Eve, Heckingbottom revealed the extent of those aforementioned conversations with Moyes.

"We'll wait and see. I spoke to David about it last week," the Preston manager said. "I'm really respectful that Harrison is Everton's player. I'm really grateful that we managed to get him, and David is really respectful, obviously, of this football club."

Heckingbottom continued with: "He knows I'll look after him and he'll be in a better place having been here, but he knows he can't leave himself exposed with the tough job he's got in the Premier League. We'll keep communicating about it and see where it ends up."

So, Heckingbottom himself is essentially accepting that a recall is a genuine possibility, even if he would prefer Armstrong to remain at Deepdale for the remainder of the campaign.

The phrase "where it ends up" suggests that this is still very much an open question. Gueye is obviously expected to return from AFCON later in January, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's recovery timeline should become clearer soon. Even then, North End could be waiting the full month for a decision to be made.

Ultimately, what we do know is that Moyes, who, of course, played for and managed North End between 1993 and 2002, has the power to positively or negatively effect the rest of the Lancashire club's season. At this point, Preston are mounting a credible promotion push for 25/26 - and Armstrong's performances have been a key part of that.